Bollywood Item Girls ready to pay

25

October

By Lekha Madhavan12:22 pm

Gone are the days when a music video’s success hinged on which popular ‘item girl’ starred in it. In fact, today the scene is diametrically opposite. With fierce competition rife among the femme fatales to bag that hot and happening video, the girls are willing to go to any lengths to be the flavour of the season. So much so that quite a few of them are even resorting to sponsoring the videos themselves.

When she was signed on to play the part of Rakhi Sawant in the Mika-Meet brothers song ‘Bhai Tune Pappi Kyon Li?’ item girl Nandini Jumani aka Krazy Kat says she never realised that she was expected to shell out Rs 3 lakh for the ‘privilege’ of being a part of the song that replicated the infamous kiss incident between Mika and Rakhi. “One day, before I was to begin shooting for the video, I was told to come up with Rs 3 lakh as payment to them. They told me that if I wasn’t interested, there were loads of other girls willing to pay as much as Rs 5 lakh. I obviously refused to pay up, so I was dropped and another girl was signed on instead,” she says.

However, according to music industry insiders, this is nothing new. “I know of a lot of girls who are willing to shell out a lot of money to star in what they think will be their ticket to instant stardom,” says model/actor Kainaz Parvez, who adds that she has been told by numerous music companies and producers time and again that she would have to pump in the resources if she wished to feature in a video. “It is either pay up or sleep with someone to become the latest ‘it’ girl. It’s a very sad trend which shouldn’t be encouraged,” she adds.

But then there are those who think that the proposition isn’t so bad after all. Having done shows in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, Rehana Khan (name changed) admits to having the money and the intention to pay a music video producer to star in a raunchy remix video. “Although I am very well known as a dancer for private functions and shows, I have yet to do a music video,” says Rehana. “I am willing to put in as much as it takes to become an item girl. And I know now just what to do!”.